996 c4 convertible problem

hello all, its my first post, and its a problem. sorry. i have a 1998 c4 cab, and when i put the roof down all works ok untill metal deck lid/roof cover is ment to close over folded roof. instead it makes a louder hummmm noise, and if i keep holding the button it eventually blows a 30amp fuse. i took it to a Porsche mechanic who didnt find a fault on his odb computer, he said probably low or old hydrollic fluid. so booked it in and he changed it, day 1 worked fine, day 2 same problem. ive also noticed the 2 small black flaps arnt folding flat and wondered if they are the problem and the deck lid is staying up as a secondary thing???? any help would be much appreciated. Alan.

Stop the top mid way. Thats in 'service mode' and then you can inspect the workings or the mechanism of the roof. There maybe somepart binding on another part and causing the fuse to blow. An arm fallen free or something. You can inspect under the black flaps as well. When you stop the top half way. Put your hand in under the metal deck part so you see your hand through the rear window. Feel around for a thick wire either side. That needs to be pulled off a metal bobble affair each side and then the window part of the hood should be moved towards the front of the car and then you can see all the working parts of the top/ You can compare one side with the other.. Any differance and that could be the problem area. If you need to go further :- ie for the hydraulics, you have to remove the rear window sill. 3 or 4 pop out screws hold it in place. Take those out and the carpet type sill can be removed. When you have finished dont forget to re-attach the wires. PLUS do not move the top electrically when you have it in service move with the wires off. The deck lid may be hitting on something. The blacks flaps will not close completly unless that deck lid goes completly down. I found an arm fallen off under the black flap on mine. Carefully compare one side to the other. There might be a dead rat/sqirrel in there stopping the lid from closing. Who knows. haha. Anyway good luck.

haha, the only rat would be the guy that sold it to me i hope. will defo give it a try, ive just bought a repair cd for the future so trim etc can be removed without damage. The guy in the garage was as a next step gonna replace both rear? micro switches........ if after inspection and no animal found or other obstruction, would you say this is the way to go? Many thanks for your reply btw. Alan.

From your description Al it seems like the 'deck lid' is hitting some obstruction which stops it dead. Then you say if you continue holding the button, a fuse blows which kinda suggests the same obstruction. I have my hard top on the car now for the winter but if i remember correctly the very last thing to close are the 2 small black plastic side panels. So if these are not fully closing, something is holding something back somewhere. You need to get it in service mode and continue from there.

Quotes source post: 9985947

Mine did this. Turned out there was a bolt on the arm that had come off. When it started out it would close but with some difficulty, then stopped altogether after two or three difficult closes. The straining had somehow caused the hydraulic fluid to leak or be pushed out, and after the bolt was back on and the fluid replenished it's been fine. Of course the hard top is on now.... q

great, thanks for info. i will look carefully around the bars, flaps. i dont have a hard top

Remember Al dont go pushing any buttons or turning keys in door locks when you have the wires off the back of the hood. When you release those wires and lift the rear window to see better, the top will tend to lean towards the front and try to close on its own so hold it back with something. You will probably find that something has fallen off the mechanism somewhere. Good luck mate.